My dog is cold: signs and how to keep them warm in winter

Key points

• Shivering, hunching up, lifting their paws or seeking warmth are the clearest signs your dog is cold.
• Small, short-haired or single-coated, thin dogs, puppies, seniors and sick dogs get cold much sooner than others.
• Wind, rain and damp matter as much as temperature: a wet dog loses heat very quickly.
• A coat that covers the chest and belly and a bed raised off the floor are the two measures that help most.
• If after being cold they're listless, their skin feels very cold and they stop shivering, it may be hypothermia: wrap them up and call the vet.

To tell if your dog is cold, watch their body more than the thermometer: they shiver, hunch up, lift their paws off the ground, look for the radiator or plant themselves mid-walk because they want to go home. And not every dog feels it the same way: a Greyhound, a Chihuahua or an older dog gets cold much sooner than a Husky or a Mastiff.

Where winters are mild, it's easy to forget, but frost, a biting wind, damp coastal cold or an apartment with tile floors is enough to make some dogs miserable. Here's how to recognize it, which dogs need a coat and which don't, how to set up their bed and walks, and when cold turns into an emergency.

Signs your dog is cold

• Shaking or shivering, especially when standing still or heading out the door.
• Hunching up: arched back, tail tucked between the legs, head low.
• Lifting their paws off the ground one after another, or standing still on three legs.
• Walking slowly, stopping or pulling toward home on walks they happily take at other times of year.
• Seeking warmth: pressing against the radiator, burrowing under blankets or under your comforter, lying in the only patch of sun in the living room.
• Sleeping curled up in a tight ball, with their nose tucked under their tail.
• Cold ears, paws and tail tip to the touch. It's a clue, not proof: they can also feel cold on a dog that's fine.

Be careful with shivering: it also shows up with fear, nerves, pain, nausea or some illnesses. If your dog shakes indoors, with the heating on and no obvious reason, or the shaking keeps coming back, have the vet see them.

Which dogs feel the cold most

Dog	Why	What they need
Small and toy breeds (Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, Toy Poodle)	They lose heat faster because of their size and are very close to the cold or wet ground	A coat outdoors as soon as it turns chilly and a nest-style bed
Short coats with no undercoat (Greyhound, Podenco, Whippet, Boxer, Doberman, French Bulldog, Pit Bull)	Little insulating coat and, in sighthounds, very little body fat	A coat in winter and a blanket at home
Puppies	They can't regulate their temperature well yet	Short walks, always drying them off and sleeping indoors
Senior dogs	Less muscle and, often, arthritis, which gets worse with cold	A thick bed, a coat and shorter, more frequent walks
Thin dogs or dogs with health conditions (heart, kidney, thyroid, diabetes)	They produce or hold on to less heat	The same as seniors, with closer monitoring
Freshly shaved dogs	They've lost their natural insulation	A coat until the hair grows back

At the other end are dogs with a dense double coat, such as the Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Great Pyrenees, Spanish Mastiff or German Shepherd. They handle cold well and usually don't need a coat, but that doesn't mean they can spend the night out in the open: in rain, wind or frost they also need a dry shelter.

At what temperature do dogs get cold?

There's no single number, because size, coat, age, activity, wind and humidity all play a part. As a rough guide:

Temperature	What to keep in mind
Above 10 °C (50 °F)	Most dogs are comfortable. Very small or hairless dogs may feel the chill if it's windy or they're wet.
7 to 10 °C (45 to 50 °F)	The dogs in the table above start to appreciate a coat, especially on long walks or if they'll be standing still.
0 to 7 °C (32 to 45 °F)	A coat for sensitive dogs, shorter and more active walks, and dry them off well when you get back.
Below freezing	Short walks for sensitive dogs. All dogs need a dry shelter and shouldn't spend hours outside. Watch out for ice and salt on the sidewalks.

Three things make a big difference to how cold it feels:

• Wind: in a strong, cold wind, 8 °C (46 °F) feels much colder.
• Damp and rain: wet fur stops insulating. A wet dog standing still loses more heat than a dry one at a lower temperature.
• Activity: a running dog generates heat; the same dog lying on a café patio while you have a coffee gets chilled to the bone in ten minutes.

Dog coats: when to use one and how to choose it

A coat makes sense for dogs that are sensitive to cold; on a Husky it just makes them too warm. If you're not sure, watch your dog on walks: if they shiver or walk hunched up, they need one.

What to look for

• It covers the chest and belly, not just the back. The belly has the least fur and is the closest to the wet ground.
• Waterproof outside and lined inside if it rains where you live. A knit sweater keeps them warm when dry, but chills them when wet.
• The right size: measure the back from the base of the neck to the base of the tail, and the chest around its widest part. You should be able to fit two fingers between the neck and the garment.
• It doesn't rub the armpits or stop them from walking, sitting or peeing (on males, the belly panel shouldn't reach too far back).
• No hoods that block their vision, dangling drawstrings, or buttons and decorations they could pull off and swallow.
• An opening for the harness, or put the harness on over it and adjust it again: with the coat underneath, the fit changes. See how in the harness and leash guide.

How to use it

• Put it on to go out and take it off when you get back. Indoors, with the heating on, they don't need it and it can make them too warm or itchy.
• If they come back wet, take it off right away and dry the fur underneath.
• Wash it every few weeks: it builds up moisture, mud and salt from the sidewalks.
• If they've never worn clothes, introduce it gradually: let them sniff it, put it on for a minute at home with treats and slowly increase the time before going out in it.

At home: where and how they sleep

• Raise the bed off the floor. Tile and stone floors draw away a lot of heat. A bed with a thick base, an elevated dog cot or a rug underneath makes a real difference.
• Away from drafts, outside doors, balconies and windows that don't close properly.
• Blankets they can move around: many dogs like to dig and burrow. For small dogs and sighthounds, nest or igloo-style beds are ideal.
• Near the heating, but not right up against it. An older or sedated dog can fall asleep against a radiator or space heater and get burned without moving away.
• Space heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves always need a barrier, and ventilate rooms with gas or wood heaters because of the risk of carbon monoxide.
• No electric blankets for your dog: they can burn and cords get chewed. Self-warming blankets that reflect body heat, with no plug, are a good option. A hot water bottle wrapped in a towel only if you're there and they don't chew it.
• Fresh water, but not ice-cold, always within reach: dogs get dehydrated in winter too, especially with the heating on.

If your dog lives in a yard or on a property, they should sleep indoors on cold nights, and always if they're a puppy, a senior or short-haired. If they sleep outside, they need an insulated doghouse, raised off the ground, with the entrance sheltered from the wind and bedding that stays dry; check it every day.

Winter walks

• Pick the sunniest hours for the long walk and keep the early-morning and late-night ones shorter.
• Several short, active walks are better than one long walk with lots of stops, for sensitive dogs and seniors.
• Dry them off when you get back: belly, chest, paws and between the toes. If your town salts the sidewalks, wash their paws with lukewarm water; it's all explained in how to protect your dog's paws from salt, ice and snow.
• Don't leave them waiting in the car: in winter it gets as cold as a fridge.
• Don't let them drink from puddles in garages or next to parked cars: antifreeze tastes sweet and is very toxic. If you think they've licked some, follow the steps in what to do if your dog ate something toxic.
• Keep them off frozen ponds and rivers: if your dog falls into icy water, don't go in after them; call emergency services (911 in the US).

About food: a dog that lives outdoors or exercises a lot in the cold burns more energy and may need a bit more food. One that spends winter on the couch, on the other hand, usually moves less and gains weight. Adjust their portion based on their body shape, not the season; you can work it out with how much should my dog eat.

Hypothermia: when cold becomes an emergency

A dog's normal rectal temperature is between 38 and 39.2 °C (100.4 and 102.5 °F). Below 37.5 °C (99.5 °F) it's already low and you should call the vet; below 35 °C (95 °F) it's a serious emergency. It's more likely in small dogs, puppies, seniors, dogs that have gotten wet or fallen into water, and dogs that got lost or spent the night outside.

Signs

• Intense shivering that, if the cold continues, stops: that's not a good sign, it means the body can no longer produce more heat.
• Listlessness, clumsiness, stiffness, staggering or not wanting to move.
• Very cold skin, ears and paws; pale gums.
• Slow, shallow breathing, weak pulse.
• Disorientation or loss of consciousness.

What to do

1. Bring them somewhere warm and dry them with towels if they're wet.
2. Wrap them in dry blankets; an emergency (space) blanket from a first aid kit on the outside helps.
3. Bottles or bags of warm water, always wrapped in a towel, in the armpits, groin and chest. Never directly on the skin.
4. Call the vet and go to the clinic if they're listless, don't stop shivering within 20-30 minutes, have stopped shivering or are below 37.5 °C (99.5 °F).

What not to do: put them in hot water, hold a hot hair dryer right against them, rub them hard, or give them food or water if they're dazed. Warming them too quickly can cause a drop in blood pressure.

In the mountains, there can also be frostbite on the ear tips, tail, scrotum or paw pads: the skin looks pale or gray and cold, then red, swollen and painful. Don't rub it or warm it with direct heat; wrap your dog up and have the vet see them.

What you need

• A properly fitted coat or raincoat that covers the chest and belly
• A bed with a thick base or raised off the floor, with sides or nest-style
• Washable blankets they can move around
• Two microfiber towels to dry them off when you get back
• An emergency (space) blanket from a first aid kit
• A digital thermometer and petroleum jelly

Step by step

1. Watch how they handle the cold

   For a week, pay attention on walks and at home: if they shiver, hunch up, lift their paws or always head for the radiator, your dog needs more protection.

2. Set up their spot

   A bed raised off the floor, away from doors and windows, with a blanket they can move. If they're small or short-haired, a nest-style bed is better.

3. Measure them and choose a coat

   Measure the back from the base of the neck to the tail and around the chest. Look for a coat that covers the chest and belly, waterproof if it rains where you live, with no drawstrings or buttons.

4. Get them used to wearing it

   Put it on for a minute at home with treats, take it off and repeat for a few days, gradually increasing the time. Once they're relaxed in it, go out with it on.

5. Adjust your walks

   Take the long walk in the sunniest hours and keep the first and last outings of the day shorter. On windy or rainy days, several short outings are better.

6. Dry them off when you get back

   Take off the coat, dry the belly, chest and paws with the towel and, if there's salt on the sidewalks, wash their paws with lukewarm water and dry between the toes.

7. Watch for warning signs

   If after being cold they're listless, very cold to the touch or stop shivering, wrap them in blankets and call the vet.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my dog is cold at night?

If they're cold at night, they usually sleep curled up in a tight ball with their nose covered, change spots often, shiver or try to get into your bed or under blankets. Raise their bed off the floor, move it away from drafts and give them a blanket they can move. Small, short-haired and senior dogs appreciate a nest-style bed.

Should dogs wear coats in winter?

Yes, dogs that feel the cold: small dogs, short-haired dogs, sighthounds, puppies, seniors or freshly shaved dogs. A properly sized coat that covers the chest and belly, with no parts they could swallow, helps them a lot in winter. Dogs with a dense double coat, like the Husky, don't need one. Take it off indoors when the heating is on.

What temperature is too cold for dogs?

It depends on the dog, but as a rough guide small, short-haired, puppy and senior dogs start to feel cold below about 7-10 °C (45-50 °F), especially in wind or rain or if they're standing still. Below freezing, all dogs need shorter walks and a dry shelter. Watch your dog's signs more than the thermometer.

Can a dog sleep outside in winter?

A healthy dog with a dense coat can spend the day outside with an insulated, raised doghouse sheltered from the wind, but on frosty or rainy nights it's best for them to sleep indoors. Puppies, seniors, small dogs and short-haired dogs should always sleep indoors in winter.

Why is my dog shaking if it's not cold?

Dogs also shake from fear, nerves, excitement, pain, nausea, fever or some illnesses and poisonings. Some small breeds shake easily. If your dog shakes at home for no obvious reason, the shaking keeps coming back or it comes with other symptoms like lethargy, vomiting or limping, take them to the vet.